Windmill



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. N. L. RIGBY & H. B. REAVES.

WINDMILL.

Patented Oct. 9, 1894.

(No Model.)

. D STATES NICHOLAS L. RIGBYAND HENRY B. REA'VES, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PATENT OFFICE.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 527,157, dated October 9, 1894.

Application filed March 1, 1898.

T0 aZZ whom it mag concern.-

Be it known that we, NICHOLAS L. RIGBY and HENRY B. REAVES, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofOaiifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Windmills, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a frame or support for the working parts of a wind mill, which will be cheap, light and rigid, and in which the arrangement of the mechanism of the mill may be varied as desired without the necessity of making new castings for each change. l

A further object of our invention is to provide an improved gravity vane which .will

. maintain a vertical plane at all times.

A further object of our invention'is to provide an adjustable center crank shaft whereby the length of the stroke of the pitman may be quickly and conveniently changed without removing the shaft from itsbearings.

A further object of our invention is to provide a mill which may be quickly changed to operate either as a direct acting mill or as a geared-back mill as may be desired by the operator.

Another object is to construct a mill of minimum weight and superior strength.

Our invention comprises a support for the working parts.

Our invention comprises various combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter setforth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate our invention.

Figure 1. is a perspective side elevation of a windmill embodying ourinvention. Fig. 2. is a fragmental view of our improved center crank shaft, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3. is a'view of the same parts looking toward the right from line a:a: Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a vertical mid-sectional view of our im--. proved mill, the shafts and pitman being shown intact. Fig. 5. is a plan view of the working parts of the mill with the cover removed to expose the interior. Fig. 6. is 'a fragmental sectional view of the pitman rod. and crank pin, indicating our improved means for oiling the same. Fig. 7. is a fragmentary Serial No. 464.155. (No modeLl plan view of the mill. Dotted lines show the position of parts when the mill is thrown into the Wind. Fig. 8. is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating .011! improved.

casing 0. Lugs b are provided upon such turn-table through which lugs bolts b are passed tosecure the casing C to the turn table. ,The. lugs b may be arranged; upon radial arms b" as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5-, or they may be cast integral upon a supporting flange or web b? as shown in solid lines in Figs. 4 and 5. The object of arranging thisturntable and these lugs in this manner is to 'allow the attachment to such turnjtable of the'casing C which forms the support for the working parts of the mill.

In order to reduce the weight of the mill to the lowest possible degree and at the same time to increase the strength of the mill as a whole we make the casing C of a length of cylindrical wrought metal tubing, and in the walls of this tubing case we provide openings o through which the journal boxes D (D') and D" (D')' are passed. I These journal boxes are of integral cast metal and are provided with lugs d projecting from the box at right angles'to the'axis of the box, and arranged substantially at the mid-length of the boxes, respectively through which lugs bolts (1' are passed to secure the boxes to the vertical casing, thus to bring the point of support near the center of the journal box.

In order to exclude dust from-the mill, the

outer ends of the boxes D and; D'and D' are closed as shown in Fig. 4. The box D" is open at both ends to allow thewheel shaft E to extend out for the wheel E to be attached thereto. Two of the journal boxes (D and'D') are arranged in the upper part of the cylinder upon opposite sides thereof to receive and journal the ends of the crank shaft, and two boxes (D and D') are arranged in the lower part of the casingupon undesirable to provide a windmill with a crank shaft of this character for the reason that no satisfactory means of changing the length of the stroke of the pitman rod (11") had been provided. By our invention we overcome this difficulty and provide a center crank shaft in which the length of the stroke of the pitman rod may be changed to suit the operator. This will be understood by reference to Figs. 2, 3, and t. This crank shaft comprises the combination of the two opposing shaft ends F and F, provided respectively, one with a crank arm G and the other with a sprocket wheel G, the sprocket wheel being provided with a series of holes 9 g and tapering toward the outer side of the wheel and arranged at varying distances from the center of the wheel so that by setting the crank pin H in different holes, the length of stroke of the pitman rod desired by the operator can be secured.

One end of the crank pin H is tapered to fit the tapering holes in the sprocket wheel,

and the other end is provided with a crank pin attaching plate H arranged to fit upon the crank arm G and having bolt holes therethrough to allow the passage of bolts h to secure the crank pin to the crank arm the crank arm being provided with a series of holes 71/, h", arranged with such relation to the crank pin H and the holes g g and g" of the sprocket wheel, that when the bolts are shifted from one series of holes in the crank arm G to another series of holes in such crank arm, the pin H will be brought into positions respectively corresponding with the holes in the sprocket wheel--that isto say, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, the crank pin is in position in the hole g in the sprocket wheel. removing the bolts h from the holes It,

By turning the crank arm G out of the way, then slipping the crank pin out of hole 9 and in sorting it into hole g, then turning the crank arm back and inserting the. bolts into the holes h", the crank pin H will be brought .closer to the shaft and the stroke will be shortened. By reversing the crank pin plate H to bring the short arm toward the crank shaft, and inserting the bolts it into the holes h" the crank pin will be brought into position corresponding with the hole 9" thus to The tapering make the stroke still shorter.

end of the crank pin is fitted into the tapering holes in the sprocket wheel and the parts arenot liable to become loose.

When arranged for a geared-back mill the wheel shaft E is straight throughout as illustrated and is provided with a sprocket wheel a which is fixed to the shaft and transmits the power to the crank shaft through the medium of the sprocket chain c and the sprocket wheel G to which the crank pin is fixed.

Our improved gravity vane comprises the combination of the vane I, provided with the upper and lower pivotal supports 11 i and provided with a longitudinal slot 11' arranged to allow longitudinal movement of the upper supporting member 2 of the vane with relation to the upper pivotal support 11; a vane operating rod 1 pivoted to a fixed portion of the mill substantially at one side of the axis of the vane when the mill isthrown into the wind, and having its other end attached to the vane at a point intermediate the ends of the vane so that when the mill is thrown out of the wind the free end of the vane will be raised. The pivotal supports 4 and '11 as shown are of cast metal and are attached to the casing C.

It is often desirable to change the inclination of the wings of the windmill in order to give a greater or less velocity to the wheel to adapt the mill for use as a direct acting ora geared-back mill. Heretofore, in all mills of which we are aware there has been no provision made for changing the inclination of the Wings, so that windmills could not be changed from one class to the other. To avoid this difficulty, we provide a wing support J having its body curved to receive the wing J and one end arranged to form a downwardly projecting pivotal armj provided with a hole, to receive a bolt j to secure the support to the wheel ring K; and having its longer arm j" arranged to form an adjusting and supporting bracket; aseries of holes j"arranged in the-arc of a circle of which the pivotal bolt j forms the center, and arranged to receive the bolt j to secure the bracket to the wheel ring. In order to allow these bolts to pass through the wheel ring K without weakening the ring or making it of undue thickness, we form the ring K of a thin band of metal having its greatest width transverse the plane of the wheel. This is also advantageous in that it reduces the area of flat surface opposed to the action of the wind.

It is desirable to lock the working parts of the mill by means of a brake when the mill is thrown out of action. We provide improved means for locking the will when thrown out of wind in asimple and effective manner. The means for accomplishing this comprises the combination of the pump rod L arranged in a suitable guide such as the platform L and the vane operating wire M provided with the wedge plug m arranged to enter the guide when the wire is pulled downward to throw the mill out of action to wedge the pump rod in such guide opening.

In order to continuously oil the parts withboxes with oil reservoirs 0, 0' arranged below the parts to be oiled and provided with a spring sustained wick which is held bya spring 19 against the journal to be oiled.

In Fig. 6 we have shown a section of the pitman rod H" which is provided with the reservoir 0 formed within the body of the rod and opening into the bottom of the hearing.

In practice when it is desired to change the mill from a geared-back mill to a direct acting mill the box D is removed from the casing, the set screw f is loosened'and the shaft F is removed from the crank arm G; the set screw e is loosened and the wheel E is removed from the wheel shaft E. Then a wheel shaft (not shown) of suitable length to extend through the wheel to engage with both hubs of the wheel and to extend through the axle box Da sufficient distance to receive the crank arm G thereupon, is placed in the hubs of the wheel E after which the boxes D and D are interchanged and the wheel is removedfrom the lower set of boxes to the upper set. Thecrank armG is then socured upon the wheel shaft in the same manner in which it was secured upon the crank shaft and the mill then becomes a direct acting mill. No claim however, is laid to this extra wheel shaft, and detailed illustration of the same is unnecessary for the reason that any one versed in the art will readily understand the construction and be able to apply the same without further description. When this change is made it is also necessary to reduce the speed of rotation of the mill. To do this the bolts j are removed from the wing-supporting brackets and the supporting bracket is moved upward to raise the wing sothat it will stand at a more-obtuse angle with the wheel-ring K which will reduce the speed of rotation of the wheel. The inner end of each wing is secured to the inner wheel-ring K by means of an angle iron which is riveted to its wing and is pivotally bolted to the Wheel-ring K so that when the brackets are adjusted to change the inclination of the wing the inner end of the wing will be free to change its inclination.

When the millis thrown into the wind as shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 7, the upper pivotal support of the vane occupies the position in the slotted upper supporting arm of the vane indicated in Fig. 5. The supporting rod 1' is attached to the casing by means of an eye bolt 6 and extends outward to a point intermediate the ends of the vane and is attached to the vane.

When the vane is turned to throw the mill out of action, the rod 1, being attached to the casing at one side of the plane of the vane, causes the outer end of the vane to rise (the slot in the upper supporting arm allowing it to slide inward upon the support 2') and throw the vane into the position indicated by Fig. 7. When the vane wire M'is released, the gravity of the vane will carry it into the position indicated in Figs- 1, 4, and 5 where it By providing the bearing boxes with the attaching lugs near their mid-length and allowing the boxes respectively to engage an extent of shaft on each side of the support which sustains thebox,such support is relieved of lateral strain which might causethe box to be wrenched from its support and thus permits the use of the light tubular cylinder which we employ for such support.

By providing the thin tubular casing and securing the removable journal boxes to such casing in the manner hereinbefore specified, we are enabled to provide a support for the journal boxes which will answer for any style of mill, and to cut the openings for the removable journal boxes at any point in the casing necessary to cause the shafts to assume the position desired; that is to say, in case we should desire to provide a mill having geared back cog gearing, we can cut the openings for the journal boxes in the casing in such relation to each other that when the shafts are in place inthe boxes, the cogs of v withgearing which will give one strokeof the pitman rod for every two revolutions of the wheel the openings for the journal boxes will be out in the walls-of the casing nearer to each other in vertical position than would be the case were the mill provided with gearing which requires four revolutions of the wheel to one stroke of the pitman, and the same general style of support thus answers for two mills, each geared to a different stroke. This however will be readily understood by those versed in the art, and illustration thereof is not deemed necessary to a full understanding of our invention, the essential feature being that .the thin tubular casing in combination with the removable journal boxes allows the location of the journal boxes to be arranged to suit the requirements of the. purchaser, and does not require additional castings and models for each slight change in position of the journal boxes, which has heretofore been necessary. The tubular form of the casing also furnishes the greatest strength with the least possible weight of material, and in addition thereto, when the cover is in place upon the top of the casing, complete protection from dust, ice, &c., is afforded and the mill will never become inoperative from any of these causes. a

' I Now, having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isx 1. Awindmill havingits wings respectively secured to wing supports each of which supports has one end pivotally attached to the ring of the wheel and has its other end adjustably attached to the wheel ring, whereby the inclination of the wing with relation to the wheel-ring can be changed by adjusting one end of the wing support.

2. In a windmill, the adjustable wing supvane provided with the upper and lower pivotal supports, and provided with a longiport having its body curved to receive the wing and having at one end. a short rearwardly projecting attaching pivot arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the ring of the wheel, and having at its other end a rearwardly projecting wing-supporting and adjusting bracket provided along its length with a series of adjusting holes arranged in the arc of a circle of which the pivotal point of the attaching arm is the center.

3. In a windmill, the combination of the turn-table provided with the casing seat; the casing secured in such seat and projecting upwardly therefrom and provided in its side walls with oppositely arranged openings adapted to receive removable journal boxes therein; the removable journal boxes arranged in such openings and secured to the casing, the shaft journaled in such journal boxes, and the cover arranged to close the upper part of the casing.

l. The combination of the turn-table provided upon its upper face with the casing seat; the tubular casing secured to the turntable and projecting upward therefrom and provided in its side-walls with the openings to receive removable journal boxes therein; the removable journal boxes, two being arranged in the openings in the upper part of the casing upon opposite sides thereof to receive and journal the ends of the crank shaft, and two boxes arranged in the lower part of the casing upon opposite sides thereof to receive and journal the wheel shaft; the crank shaft and the wheel shaft arranged in their respective journal boxes; suitable operative means connecting the wheel shaft with the crank shaft; and the cover arranged to close the upper part of the casing.

5. In a Windmill the combination of the ring of the wheel formed of a thin band of metal having its greatest -width arranged transverse the plane of the wheel; the wing support having its body curved to receive the wing and having one end arranged to form a short rearwardly projecting pivotal attaching arm, and having its other end arranged to form a rearwardly projecting wing supporting and adjusting bracket and provided with a series of holes arranged in the arc of a circle of which the pivotal point of the attaching arm is the center; the bolt arranged to pivot the attaching arm to the wheel ring and the bolt arranged to secure the supporting bracket to the wheel ring.

6. In a windmill, the combination of thewith the upper and lower pivvane provided and provided with a longiotal supports,

tudinal slot arranged to allow longitudinal movement of one supporting member of the vane with relation to its respective pivotal support, and the vane operating rod pivoted to a fixed portion of the mill substantially at one side of the axis of the vane when the mill is thrown into the wind and having its other end attached to the vane.

7. In a windmill, the combination of the tudinal slot arranged to allow longitudinal movement of the upper supporting member of the vane with relation to the upper pivl otal support, and the vane operating rod pivioted to a fixed portion of the mill substantially at one side of the axis of the vane when the mill is thrown into the wind and having its other end attached to the vane at a point intermediate the ends of the vane.

8. The crank connection comprising the combination of the opposing shaft ends provided respectively with a crank arm and a sprocket wheel; such sprocket wheel provided with a series of holes tapering toward the outside of the wheel and arranged respectively at varying distances from the center of the wheel; the crank pin having one end tapered to fit the tapering holes in the sprocket wheel and having its other end provided with a crank-pin-attaching plate having bolt holes therethrough and arranged to fit upon the crank arm; such crank arm provided with a series of bolt holes arranged with such relation to the holes in the crank-pin-plate and the holes in the sprocket wheel that when the bolts are shifted from one to another series of holes in the crank arm the crank pin will be respectively brought into diiferent positions corresponding with one of the holes in the sprocket wheel.

9. In a windmill, the combination of the turn-table; the wrought metallic cylinder secured upon such turn-table and provided with openings arranged to receive the journalbearings; such journal bearings, two being arranged in the upper part of the cylinder upon opposite sides thereof to receive and journal the ends of the crank shaft, and respectively formed of an integral box having its inner end open and its outer end closed and provided near its mid-length with attaching lugs projecting from such box and arranged to fit upon and to be attached 'to the cylinder; and two boxes arranged in the lower part of the casing upon opposite sides thereof to receive and journal the wheel shaft, one of such boxes being closed at one end and open at the other and the other box being open at both ends, each box being integral and provided near its mid-length with attaching lugs projecting from the box and arranged to be attached to the cylinder; such crank shaft arranged in the upper journal boxes; the wheel shaft arranged in such lower journal boxes; a sprocket wheel secured upon the crank shaft; a sprocket wheel secured upon the wheel shaft; a sprocket chain arranged on such sprocket too wheels, to communicate power from the wheel shaft to the crank shaft, and means for securing the boxes to the cylinder.

10. The crank connection comprising the combination of the opposing shaft ends provided respectively with a crank arm and a sprocket wheel; such sprocket wheel provided with a series of holes arranged respectively at varying distances from the center of the wheel; the crank pin having one end arranged to fit the holes in the sprocket wheel and having its other end provided with a crank-pin-attaching plate having bolt holes therethrough and arranged to fit upon the 

